


The Blue Butterflies

by MoonStreet



Category: Green Card (1990), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Childhood Trauma, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Fake Marriage, Fluff, Green Card AU, Mature for swearing, Modern AU, No Smut, Rey Needs A Hug, ReyloMovies, ben needs a hug, only in it for the green card
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-19
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:00:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25982497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoonStreet/pseuds/MoonStreet
Summary: Ben wants his dream apartment.Rey wants a green card.It seems like an easy arrangement: Get married, get what they want, and be done. Only several wrenches get thrown in the works. The first being INS looking too closely at their marriage. Now Rey and Ben have to convince everyone they're together or risk losing it all.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 4
Kudos: 9
Collections: Let's Go to the Movies - Reylo Readers & Writers Prompt Exchange, ReylOlds





	The Blue Butterflies

**Author's Note:**

  * For [aneighthdomain](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aneighthdomain/gifts).



"Your wife, where is she now?" Maz Kanata peered at him over her large fish-eyed glasses. Ben smiled nervously and wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans. 

"She's in Brazil, studying butterflies." He lied. He had no idea where his wife was or what she was doing at that moment, but the apartment of his dreams was at stake. The truth was irrelevant.

"She's an entomologist like yourself?" Ackbar probed and Ben nodded.

"Yes, that's how we met." Ben continued. Another lie, one more for a pile that kept growing in his head. 

"Is she Brazilian?" The third and final member of the interview team asked abruptly. Ben glanced at Mr. Binks and gave him a tight smile. Ackbar and Maz looked at him with alarm.

"No, she's British," Ben said with diplomacy. "She's studying the regenerative properties of a rare blue butterfly." 

"She doesn't do experiments on animals? We had a scientist who lived in B-eight and they had cages and cages of animals. Kept everyone up all night." Maz complained and Ben shook his head. “And the smell, it was horrible” She hissed, pulling a face that exaggerated her wrinkles.

"No, I assure you the only animals I intend to keep are my beehives and our cat." He added. There was a flurry of notes. 

"What's this Apiary Anarchy, listed? You're not part of some rebel army, are you?" Maz peered at him with keen eyes and Ben was relieved that he could give the full truth for once.

"It's a volunteer group, Maz, they rescue hives around the city. Save the bees et cetera." Ackbar's voice thundered. Ben sighed.

  
  
  


Rey had taken a job at Plutt's Automotive as a last-ditch effort. Finn had helped her interview for other jobs but without that coveted green card, it was hard to get a foot in the door. That’s where Poe had come in with a groom at the ready who didn’t care that she was half-feral, too skinny, and too busy to look for an  _ actual  _ partner. Plutt hadn’t cared about her immigration status, just asked that she show up for work and shut up when the wrong sort of people started asking questions.

“Where the hell is that Audi?” Plutt’s voice thundered through the garage and Rey rolled her eyes. 

“It’s almost finished!” Rey yelled back. A few tweaks of the engine and she was slamming the hood down and climbing into the driver’s seat to start the car and listen for the problematic sounds. The silver Audi purred to life and she smiled with satisfaction. “And done!” She whispered to herself. 

Trotting to the office, twirling the keys around her index finger, Rey signed the clipboard that listed cars queued up to be serviced. “Excuse me, miss?” A voice primly asked. She glanced up to see a very pale, very ginger man standing opposite her at the counter. “My Audi, you have it finished, yes?”

“Yes.” Rey smiled and went back to her routine entering her hours on the invoice, noting parts and their cost. It was all above board.

“Sorry to bother again, but do you think we could hurry this up? I have an appointment.” The man, called Hux according to the invoice, smiled at her patronizingly and Rey gave him a fierce smile.

“Armie, are you good to go, I need to-” The voice was familiar and Rey’s gaze turned to see the tall shadow of a man she’d seen a few weeks before standing in Plutt’s garage. “I need to get going, there’s a hive that needs to be picked up downtown, and if we don’t hurry the landlord is calling an exterminator.” Oh, right, they didn’t know each other. 

“All ready to go,” Rey said and slid the keys across the counter to Hux along with an invoice.

“What the bloody hell is all of this?” Hux cried. “Five hundred dollars for a fuse replacement?” 

“Fuse replacements, the starter and your oil needed to be changed. You requested a full service on your vehicle, yes?” Rey matched his earlier tone. Bill,  _ her husband _ , looked decidedly uncomfortable. She smiled.

“Hux, pay the woman, and let’s go.” He said in a rush. He glanced at her, his cheeks red.

“I should have just gotten a hybrid, classic cars are hardly worth the trouble these days,” Hux muttered and pulled out a credit card, handing it to Rey but hesitating to let it go. She turned away, managing to hide her look of disgust at the mention of one of those fancy half electric monstrosities.

Rey might have been able to let it go but her temper got the better of her. She didn’t think twice when the amount charged doubled.

  
  


It was all going according to plan, Ben decided. He had his apartment, complete with the multilevel rooftop garden where he could keep his beehives in peace and relative comfort. He wouldn’t have to worry about angry landlords, he owned it all outright. At least his trust-fund amounted to something useful. In another six months, he could file for the divorce and the lie would be gone, there wouldn’t be any more lying. 

It killed him every time the doorman asked how his wife was doing, how her work with the butterflies was coming along, would she be home soon? Did they plan to have children? While Ben was sure he meant well, every answer was a stone in his gut that he couldn’t be rid of. 

What made it worse was Bazine pushing to see his apartment, the garden. She had no idea the lies he had to fabricate to get it. Her patience was wearing thin. Everything was holding steady for now, it just had to last a little while longer, six more months, that was all.

Ben was in his office when the buzzer sounded. “Hello?” He asked.

“I’m looking for Mister Benjamin Solo.” A man’s voice said tersely. “My name is Mr.Mitaka. I’m with I.N.S.”

His vision narrowed and breathing became difficult. They’d figured out the lie. It was all going to collapse around him and he’d lose the apartment, he and his bees would be homeless.

  
  
  


Rey approached the building with a frown. It was old and looked rich. Teedo had passed along the message to her through Finn. There was a good chance it was the wrong address she had on the note. Not likely though, Bill-Ben, she corrected, looked like he might be well off financially. She opened the front door and walked through the lobby to the elevator.

“Excuse me!” A voice called. Rey turned and tilted her head. “Can I help you?” The doorman, of course. He looked prepared to call the police.

“I’m Rey Niima.” She said simply.

  
“You’re-Who are you here to see?” He asked perusing a clipboard with a log sheet.

“Ben in B-Eight.” Rey huffed impatiently, she was already five minutes late. She hated to be late. “He’s my husband.”

“Mrs. Solo!” The Doorman exclaimed with glee. “How lovely to see you’re back from Brazil!”

Rey blinked. Brazil? “Y-Yes. I’ll just go up and see him now, thanks.”

“Of course, welcome home, Mrs. Solo. Happy to see you. I guess you’re a modern woman, going by your maiden name and all that. My wife, Gladys,  _ insisted _ on hyphenating her last name like she would forget she was someone else. I told her she doesn’t need all that fuss, it’s simpler if she just took my last name. But I guess it’s the twenty-first century now-”

“Yes, it is.” Rey smiled tightly and pushed the button for the elevator repeatedly as if that would make the ancient thing hustle to the ground floor.

“Well, you have a great day. OH! Are there any bags I can help you with?” He spun on his heel and looked around like the bags might pop out of hiding.

“No, it’s just me.” She said with a laugh. “Thanks, though.”

  
  


Ben answered the door and Rey stood on the other side, staring up at him. “Come on in.” He stepped aside and she wandered in. “So I talked to my lawyer, She says that they probably just want to see us together and then we’ll be fine. It’s routine.” 

“I know, I did some reading online.” Rey wandered through his apartment, glancing around until she came to the mantel and found a picture of his mother and father holding him when he was maybe seven years old. “Are these your parents?” Ben rushed over and took the frame from her, returning it before glaring at her.

“Please don’t touch my things.” He growled.

“My apologies.” Rey held up her hands in surrender but didn’t look the least bit apologetic. “You know, they’ll want to see that we have some sort of rapport.” 

“Rapport?” He repeated.

“You know as a  _ real  _ couple might.” Rey smiled. She wandered the room again. “How did we meet?” She asked. “How did you propose?”

“Who says I proposed?” Ben quipped, suddenly feeling warm. Why was it suddenly so warm? This woman was a stranger, he barely knew her name let alone enough to find her attractive.

“You’re right, might be more believable if I did it, not traditional at all.” She winked. “We met in-”

“Brazil. You were studying the Blue Morpho butterfly.” Ben blurted it out.

“Considering I know next to nothing about bugs that will hardly be believable.” Rey scoffed. She made herself at home by kicking off a pair of well-worn converse hi-tops and sprawled on his couch, stretching like a cat. “We’ll figure that out, let me do the talking. How about some tea, Darling?” She smiled and found a book  _ Beekeeping For The Urban Enthusiast  _ and began to read. 

“Sure thing,  _ Sweetheart, _ ” Ben replied through clenched teeth and went into the kitchen. 

Right on schedule, the buzzer sounded. “Darling, can you get that?” Rey called loudly. Ben glanced out the door of the kitchen incredulously. Another buzz. “Darling?” She called and stood, mussing her hair a bit and shucking off her jacket and tossing it unceremoniously onto his recliner. 

  
Ben just had to get through this one interview before he could say goodbye to her forever, or at least until the divorce paperwork was filed. “Mister Mitaka, How nice to see you.” He greeted the small, tired man with a smile that wasn’t returned. They entered the living room to find Rey with a tray Ben didn’t recall having laden with a teapot, three cups and a plate of cookies. A jar of honey was prominently displayed and Rey winked at him. “Sweetheart, you shouldn’t have gone to all the trouble.”

“Oh, it’s no trouble. I’m sure Mister-”   
  


“Mitaka.” The man said helpfully.

“Mister Mitaka has had a long day and a bit of afternoon tea wouldn’t be unwelcome.” Rey looked very comfortable in Ben’s apartment. Too comfortable. 

“Thank you.” Mitaka sat in the chair opposite the couch and Rey poured the tea while Ben fidgeted beside her. “I apologize for having to conduct this interview but there’s been a trend of marriages for the sake of the green card. We’re being thorough, I’m sure you understand.” 

“Absolutely, of course.” Ben nodded, he couldn’t find a comfortable way to sit. When did his couch become so small, so cramped? Rey’s arm pressed against his as she handed him a cup of tea. 

“Mrs. Solo, I’m sure you understand that your student visa expired with the end of your final semester three months ago.” Mitaka began, Ben glanced over to see Rey’s smile still holding strong. “Normally to overstay your visa would mean deportation, your marriage to Ben overcomes that.” 

“Right, I understand.” She nodded. There was a long, drawn-out silence. Mitaka was jotting a note down on a legal pad he had extracted from his briefcase. “You know, I feel just a smidge guilty but I couldn’t bear to be parted from Ben, or our beautiful apartment. You see?” She pointed around the room at the displays of mounted insects and Ben’s very obviously bachelor life-style. “If I’d left him the poor man would be helpless without a woman’s touch.”

“Right.” Ben blurted out. “Though I’m very grateful she’s here to stay.” 

“What is it you do for a living, Rey?” Mitaka asked.

“I’m an engineer.” She said easily. Ben glanced over. 

“And how did you meet Ben?” The man smiled weakly. “This is more for my curiosity than the paperwork, you two seem very surprisingly... together.”

“Brazil,” Ben exclaimed. Rey and Mitaka gave him a startled look. “We met in Brazil.”

“He was quite the charmer.” Rey rolled her eyes and winked at Mitaka. “I was studying the Blue Morpho butterfly.” 

“But you are an engineer?” Mitaka questioned. 

“Of course, but I have an interest in bugs I suppose. Well more so after meeting a very handsome entomologist.” Rey winked. “I was in Brazil helping some more rural villages build water pumps for their wells.” She added solemnly. Ben had to admit she was good.

“Ah, I see.” Mitaka nodded and smiled. 

“I happened to get on a group hike looking for specimens and Ben was there too. It was love at first sight.” Rey said softly. Ben fidgeted a bit and she placed her hand gently over his to stop him. The jolt between them had him startled and Ben quickly recovered by pretending his tea was still hot.

The moment was saved though when his phone began to ring. He glanced down and saw Bazine’s number and rejected the call. A moment later it rang again. “Excuse me.” Ben stood and walked to the kitchen.

  
  
  


Rey was on the couch playing the perfect hostess while smiling at Mitaka. He managed a tight smile and jotted more notes on the legal pad. “Could you show me to the bathroom?” He asked suddenly.

“The bathroom?” Rey repeated. Fuck, they hadn’t talked about the layout of the apartment, there hadn’t been time. “Sure, right this way.” She walked down the hall slowly, pointing out pictures and bugs that she knew nothing about but could pretend well enough. Mitaka entertained her a moment and Rey noted the door at the end was a bedroom. She said a silent prayer and opened the door to find a utility closet. “Oh my god, I hate when I do that!” Rey declared.

“That does not appear to be the bathroom.” Mitaka frowned.

  
“Forgive me, I get turned around in this hall, everything looks the same.” Rey laughed nervously but he didn’t laugh with her.

Ben came to her rescue then, pointing Mitaka to the door next to it. Rey looked at Mitaka smugly like  _ ‘see it could happen to anyone.’ _

When the INS agent finally left Ben leaned against the door. “That went well?”

“Apart from opening the broom closet and looking daft? Sure.” Rey shrugged.

There was another knock at the door and Ben scrambled to open it, seeing Mitaka standing there. “Did you forget something?” He asked. Mitaka handed him a card and smiled sadly at them both.

“The appointment will determine the legitimacy of your marriage. I’m sorry but there was a red flag or two that I can’t ignore for my report.” Mitaka explained and turned back down the hallway.

Ben closed the door again, turning to look at Rey and she swiped the card from him.

“You’re kidding?” She cursed up a storm and paced. “What do we do?”

“We have to be more convincing,” Ben said after a moment. He glanced at her and Rey looked over at him. “I guess you’re moving in for real this time.”

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I can't recommend this movie enough, it's a sweet story! 
> 
> Thank you for reading!


End file.
